Method for reducing the risk of developing diabetes

Abstract

The incidence of the autoimmune disease, diabetes mellitus, is well controlled in the nude-obese-diabetic (NOD) mouse model using injections of the A chain fragment (or parts thereof) of the insulin molecule as an antigen in combination with killed cells (or parts thereof) of Haemophilus pertussis, acting as an adjuvant. This leads to the convenient prevention of diabetes in humans using the common "Triple vaccine" (DPT) diphtheria/whooping cough/tetanus vaccine (or versions thereof) in combination with A chain fragment of insulin. This mixture can be given to an at-risk population in which diabetes is expected to occur at an abnormally high rate, or it can be given to the entire population.

I claim: 
     
       1. A pharmaceutical composition for the treatment of a mammal at risk of developing diabetes consisting essentially of an effective amount of Haemophilus pertussis adjuvant and an effective amount of the A chain peptide of insulin. 
     
     
       2. The composition of claim 1, wherein the adjuvant comprises killed cells of Haemophilus pertussis. 
     
     
       3. The composition of claim 2, wherein the adjuvant also contains tetanus toxoid and diphtheria toxoid. 
     
     
       4. The composition of claim 1, wherein the adjuvant contains antigenic material from Haemophilus influenza type B. 
     
     
       5. A method for reducing the risk of developing diabetes in a mammal in need thereof comprising subcutaneously administering an effective amount of the pharmaceutical composition of claim 1. 
     
     
       6. The method of claim 5, wherein from 50 micrograms to 20 milligrams of A chain peptide is administered per dose. 
     
     
       7. The method of claim 6, wherein 10 milligrams of A chain peptide is administered per dose.